Christmas continues to become more diluted and secularized. Consider the following:

• Jewish and Muslim holidays have retained their religious meaning precisely because their followers have not tried to foist them on the rest of the public.

• People are becoming more aware of the pagan origins of Christmas.

• The percentage of Americans who are Christian continues to decline. With the increase in atheists and Muslims, polite Americans do their best not to alienate others with sectarian words like “Christmas”.

• Competing celebrations are becoming more visible, such as Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and Solstice parties.

This year marks the fortieth anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark Roe v. Wade ruling. Reverend Kelli Clement will be speaking at the upcoming Minnesota Atheists’ monthly meeting to discuss the importance and subsequent impact of this ruling.

Rev. Clement is the Executive Director of the Minnesota Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. A Unitarian Universalist, she is a graduate of United Theological Seminary where she was the coordinator of Seminarians for Choice, and is a part of the national speakers bureau of the Reproductive Health Technologies Project. Kelli lives with husband Mike in south Minneapolis.

Minnesota Atheists had an incredible (some might say “unbelievable”) year in 2012. Thanks to great leadership and enthusiasm from our board and general members we were able to take on new and significant projects that helped to promote our brand of Positive Atheism in Action. I’d like to take a moment to celebrate some of our accomplishments this year.

In some ways it feels like it’s been several years ago, but it was only this past January that we erected our first ever billboard campaign. After receiving design feedback and financial assistance from American Atheists and our own members, we were able to put up two billboards—one in Minneapolis and one in St. Paul.

"You're an atheist? Oh, you must be lonely and miserable during the holidays."

"No, not at all. I celebrate too."

"What? What do you celebrate?"

You know how it goes. People who have never gotten far enough outside Christianity to look back in and realize that Santa Claus isn't Jesus and eggnog wouldn't have kept well in Israel just can't wrap their heads around the idea of secular holidays. They can't quite figure out how we manage to make festive without the bible, even though theirs doesn't make an appearance when everyone is sitting around the Christmas tree.

So we're going to help them out. The only catch is that to do that, we're going to need some help.

Announcing the 13th Annual Freethought Winter Solstice Celebration! It's the most fun you will have all year!

This is a joint production of Minnesota Atheists and the Humanists of Minnesota and will be hosted this year by Minnesota Atheists.

Join us on Sunday, December 16, 2012 at Jimmy’s Event Center - 3565 Labore Road, Vadnais Heights, MN 55110 (two blocks east of I-35 & Cty Rd E). Our special guest star is Dan Barker, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Dan will perform selections from his freethought music albums. Also featured is a comedy act by the Freethought Players and music by the Freethought Band with guest vocalists.